. S + 3//& 



THE WORK OF THE 

SGOTTSBLUFF RECLAMATION 

PROJECT EXPERIMENT FARM 

IN 1918 AND 1919 



By JAMES A. HOLDEN 

Farm Superintendent 




UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
DEPARTMENT CIRCULAR 173 



WASHINGTON : GOVERNMENT PRINTING. OFFICE : 1921 



ogTagflft 






THE SCOTTSBLUFF EXPERIMENT FARM is 
located on the North Platte Reclamation Project, 6 miles 
east of Mitchell and about 8 miles northwest of Scottsbluff, 
Nebr. The farm includes 160 acres of land, and the work is 
supported cooperatively by the United States Department of 
Agriculture and the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station. 
Operations on this farm were begun in 1909. 

In 1917 the Federal Government deeded to the University 
of Nebraska 800 acres of land located 5 miles north of the 
experiment farm, to be made a part of it, for the purpose of 
conducting grazing experiments. 



Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry 
(Office of Western Irrigation Agriculture) 

WM. A. TAYLOR, Chief 
Washington, D. C. June, 1921 



^ 

^ 

^ 

A 



^543 

. S« He. 



THE WORK OF THE SCOTTSBLUFF RECLAMA- 
TION PROJECT EXPERIMENT FARM IN 1918 
AND 1919. 



CONTENTS. 



Progress of the experimental work 3 

Conditions on the North Platto Reclamation 

Project 5 

Climate 5 

Crop conditions 7 

Live stock 10 

Crop experiments 11 

Alfalfa 11 

Sweet clover for pasture 16 

Sugar beets 17 



Page. 

Crop experiments— Continued. 

Variety test of mangels 21 

Potato variety test 22 

Effect of alfalfa on succeeding crops 23 

Effect of alfalfa and manure on succeed- 
ing crops 

Corn 

Smallgrains 

Dry-land fanning 

Feeding lambs 



PROGRESS OF THE EXPERIMENTAL WORK. 

This report presents the experimental data secured on the Scotts- 
bluff Experiment Farm in Nebraska during 1918 and 1919 and de- 
scribes in a brief way the agricultural development on the North 
Platte Reclamation Project. 

Scarcity of farm help and high cost of operation have limited 
new lines of work, but the work previously undertaken has been 
continued and the results for two more years have become available. 
In some cases these results have been somewhat vitiated by the 
damage caused by grasshoppers. 

The Scottsbluff Experiment Farm is maintained cooperatively 
by the United States Department of Agriculture and the Nebraska 
Agricultural Experiment Station, the work being divided into four 
general lines, as follows : 

(1) General irrigated crop experiments. 

(2) Rotation of crops under irrigation. 

(3) Rotation and cultural operations with crops under dry-land condi- 

tions. 

(4) Live-stock work. 

In 1918 the last frost in the spring was on May 9, with a minimum 
temperature of 31° F., and the first frost in the fall on September 
15, with a minimum temperature of 32° F., making a total frost- 
free period of 129 days. In 1919 the last frost in the spring was on 
June 2, with a minimum temperature of 30° F., and the first frost 
in the fall on September 21, with a minimum temperature of 32° F., 
making a total frost-free period of 111 days. The maximum tem- 

3 



4 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 

perature in 1918 was 99° F. and the minimum 23° below zero. In 
1919 the maximum was 101° F. and the minimum 33° below zero, 
which is the lowest temperature ever recorded at the experiment 
farm. A summarized statement of the climatological data is given 
in Table I. 

The experimental work is conducted with the aim of obtaining 
information concerning local agricultural problems as well as the 
more general problems of crop production and crop utilization. 
During 1918 and 1919 it included: (1) Variety tests of the more 
important crops grown on the project, (2) cultural tests, (3) tests 
on the best time for thinning beets, (4) irrigation tests, (5) tests in 
crop rotation under irrigation, (6) the establishment of grass pas- 
ture, (7) fertilizing tests, (8) crop rotation and cultural operations 
under dry-land conditions, (9) pasturing tests with hogs, (10) pas- 
turing tests with dairy cows, (11) steer-feeding tests, (12) lamb- 
feeding tests, and (13) dairy work. 

The arrangement of the fields and the location of the experiments 
in 1918 and 1919 are shown in figures 1 and 2. 




Fig. 1.— Diagram of the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm, showing 
the location of the experiments in 



the arrangement of the 
1918. 



fields and 



Scottsblaff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 




Fig. 2. — Diagram of the Scottsblaff Experiment Farm, showing the arrangement of the fields and 
the location of the experiments in 1919. 

CONDITIONS ON THE NORTH PLATTE RECLAMATION PROJECT. 

CLIMATE. 

The weather conditions on the project during the summer of 1918 
were very favorable for crop production. The rainfall was some- 
what above normal, and the larger part of it fell during the early 
growing season when it was most needed for irrigated crops. The 
winter of 1917-18 was very mild and live stock wintered well. While 
the season of 1918 was one of the most favorable for crop produc- 
tion in the history of the project that of 1919 was the most unfav- 
orable. In 1919 the precipitation was far below normal; particu- 
larly during the early season. The rainfall during April for the 
past nine years has averaged 2.26 inches, while in 1919 it was only 
0.54 of an inch. In 1919 the total rainfall for April, May, and June 
was only 3.03 inches, while the 9-year average during this same 
period has been 6.66 inches, or more than twice as much. The 
weather was not only dry but unusually hot, the evaporation being 
higher than during any previous season. The hot summer was 



6 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 

followed by the coldest December during the period of record. 
The winter of 1918-19 was perhaps one of the most severe on live 
stock in the history of the project. 



Table I. — Summary of climatological observations made at the Scottsbluff Experiment 
Farm, 1911 to 1919, inclusive. 

Precipitation (Inches). 



Item. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Dec. 


Total. 


Average, 1911 to 1919. 
For 1918 


0.17 
.34 
.05 


0.26 
.27 
.45 


0.60 
.28 
.43 


2.26 

3.61 

.54 


2.66 
4.26 
1.45 


1.74 
1.23 
1.04 


1.39 
1.02 
1.37 


1.87 
1.27 
.09 


2.09 
3.47 
3.29 


0.87 
.69 
1.30 


0.20 
.32 

.70 


0.45 
1.42 
.15 


14.57 
18.18 


For 1919 


10.87 






Evaporation (Inches). 


Average, 1911 to 1919. 






4.71 
3.96 
4.64 


6.31 
6.06 
7.63 


7.49 
7.35 
8.13 


7.90 
6.23 
9.09 


6.88 
6.21 
8.17 


5.10 
4.03 
4.87 








38.40 


For 191S 












33.84 


For 1919 . . 












42.52 














Daily Wind Velocity (Miles per Hour). 



Highest: 

1911 to 1919 
For 1918... 
For 1919... 

Lowest: 

1911 to 1919 
For 1918... 
For 1919... 

Mean: 

1911 to 1919 
For 1918... 
For 1919... 



29.9 


24.5 


24.2 


31.4 


16.6 


16.7 


9.1 


9.2 


11.5 


23.1 


15.6 


16.7 


29.9 


24.5 


24.2 


20.3 


12.0 


9.9 


6.9 


5.6 


9.8 


7.4 


11.2 


10.5 


10.1 


15.8 


10.1 


19.0 


12.5 


10.2 


8.0 


6.7 


7.3 


14.5 


13.8 


14.5 


.8 


.4 


.5 


1.4 


.1 


.1 


.4 


.2 


.1 


.8 


.5 


.3 


2.0 


2.1 


2.4 


1.4 


3.3 


2.4 


2.2 


1.7 


2.1 


1.7 


1.1 


1.5 


1.4 


1.5 


2.5 


2.6 


3.0 


2.5 


2.5 


2.4 


2.0 


1.8 


1.4 


1.6 


6.2 


6.1 


6.8 


7.6 


7.1 


5.8 


4.3 


3.9 


4 4 


5.2 


5.0 


5.4 


9.9 


11.2 


9.2 


9.4 


7.3 


4.7 


3.9 


3.8 


4.3 


3.8 


4.2 


4.6 


4.2 


5.4 


5.6 


8.8 


7.3 


6.1 


5.3 


4.2 


4.1 


5.4 


5.5 


5.5 











Temperature (° 


F.). 














Absolute maximum: 

1911 to 1919 

For 1918 


68 
60 

58 

-28 
-23 
-11 

23 
16 
31 


67 
50 
51 

-23 
-19 
-17 

25 
26 

21 


78 
60 
72 

-15 
15 
5 

34 

39 
37 


95 
95 
80 

10 

18 
14 

38 
36 
44 


92 
90 

85 

22 
31 

29 

55 
55 
55 


101 
96 
101 

30 
38 
30 

65 
69 
69 


101 
97 
101 

40 
45 
51 

71 
71 
75 


99 
99 
97 

40 
43 
42 

69 
70 
72 


94 
89 
91 

22 
32 
32 

59 
55 
63 


88 
88 
73 

1 

18 
16 

46 
51 
42 


75 
72 
63 

-21 
- 6 
-11 

36 
33 

28 


90 
63 
54 

-33 
-10 

-33 

24 
27 
21 




For 1919 




Absolute minimum: 

1911 to 1919 

For 1918 




For 1919 




Mean: 

1911 to 1919 

For 1918 




For 1919 









Killing Frosts. 





Last in spring. 


First in autumn. 


Length of 


Year. 


Date. 


Minimum 
tempera- 
ture(°F.). 


Date. 


Minimum 
tempera - 
ture(°F.). 


frost-free 
period 
(days). 




May 26 
May 13 
May 2 
May 7 
June 12 
May 2 
May 21 
May 9 
June 2 


28 
30 
26 
32 
32 
24 
32 
31 
30 


Oct. 3 
Sept. 16 
Sept. 19 
Sept. 13 
Oct. 3 
Sept. 14 
Oct. 7 
Sept. 15 
Sept. 21 


31 
31 
31 
30 
32 
30 
28 
32 
32 


129 




124 




124 




129 


1915 . 


113 


1916 


133 


1917 


136 




129 


1919 


111 







Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 7 

CROP CONDITIONS. 

Farming on the irrigated lands along the North Platte River in 
Wyoming and Nebraska has gone through an unusual experience in 
the past five years. The United States Reclamation Service has 
reported annually as to the crop conditions on what is known as 
the interstate unit of the irrigated lands of this district. This unit 
includes about 100,000 acres of irrigated land fairly representative 
of a much larger area watered from the North Platte River. 

Prior to 1915 the first stages of agricultural development on the 
interstate unit had been accomplished, and a substantial and fairly 
prosperous farming system had been worked out. In 1915 there 
were 1,100 farms on the unit, including 87,000 "acres of irrigable 
land, of which 68,000 acres were reported as in crops. In 1919 there 
were 1,300 farms, including 98,000 acres of irrigable land with 
85,000 acres reported as in crop. During the 5-year period ended 
in 1919 there was no significant change in the list of crops reported 
nor any very striking change in the proportion of the acreage devoted 
to these crops except an increase in wheat acreage in the last two 
years. Alfalfa, oats, sugar beets, corn, and wheat, in the order 
named, have been the most important crops. The potato acreage 
has exceeded that of wheat only once in the five years, though it has 
increased rapidly during that time. Alfalfa has occupied well over 
one-third of the cropped acreage all the time. 

There has been no significant change in crop yields, but crop 
values have increased very rapidly. The total crop value reported 
in 1915 was slightly above $1,250,000, or an average value of $18.55 
per acre. The increase in values has been continuous except for a 
slight depression in 1918, until in 1919 the total crop value was very 
little short of $4,000,000, or an average of $45.71 an acre. 

These crop statistics throw some light on the rotations and farm- 
ing practices that obtain in this region. It has been noted that 
alfalfa is, in point of acreage, the most important crop. This crop 
is valuable not only for hay and pasture but also in its effect on 
subsequent crop yields. 1 On the sandy soils of the North Platte 
Valley, the beneficial effect of alfalfa in the rotations is very striking, 
being nearly equal to that of an ordinary application of barnyard 
manure. While the full significance of this fact has probably not 
yet been appreciated by all the farmers on these lands, it is clear 
from the statistical returns that nearly one-fifth of the old alfalfa 
land is annually broken up and the producing acreage of this crop 
maintained by new seeding. Rather more than three-fourths of the 
new seeding is done with a nurse crop. 

i Scofield, C. S. Effect of alfalfa on the subsequent yields of irrigated field crops. U. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. 
S81, 13 p. 1920. 



g Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



Summaries of data concerning crops on the interstate unit for 
1918 and 1919 are presented in Table II from statistics furnished by 
the United States Reclamation Service. Table III gives a digest of 
the acreage, yields, and farm values of the seven more important 
crops grown on the project from 1910 to 1919, inclusive. 

Table II.— Acreage, yields, and farm values of crops grown on the North Platte Recla- 
mation Project (Interstate Unit) in 1918 and 1919. 



Crop. 



1918. 

Alfalfa hay 

Alfalfa seed 

Barley 

Beans 

Beets: 

Sugar 

Stock 

Clover (sweet) seed 

Corn 

Com fodder 

Garden 

Hay (other) 

Millet seed 

•Oats 

Onions 

Pasture: 

Alfalfa 

Other 

Potatoes 

Rye 

Wheat 

Miscellaneous 

Total or average 

1919. 

Alfalfa hay 

Barley 

Beans 

Beets: 

Sugar 

Stock 

Cane (sorghum) 

Clover (sweet) seed 

Corn 

Corn fodder 

Garden 

Hay (other) 

Millet seed 

Oats 

Pasture: 

Alfalfa 

Sweet clover 

Potatoes 

Rye 

Wheat 

Miscellaneous 

Total or average 



Area 
(acres). 



37. 863 

136 

3, 550 

1,800 

6.391 

13 

94 

6,627 

351 

347 

838 

118 

7,997 

27 

2,497 
618 

6,203 
721 

9,097 
20 



85,308 



33,446 

3,720 

95 

10,968 
29 
181 
387 
9,107 
97 
270 
616 
289 
6,620 

2,390 
361 

6,284 
859 

9,757 
214 



85,690 



Unit of 
yield. 



Ton 

Bushel. 
..do... 
..do... 



Ton 

...do... 
Bushel . 
...do.... 
Ton 



Ton 

Bushel. 
...do... 
...do... 



Acre . . . 
..do... 
Bushel. 
..do... 
..do... 



Ton 

Bushel. 
...do... 



Ton 

..do... 
..do... 
Bushel. 
..do... 
Ton 



Ton 

Bushel. 
...do... 



Acre . . . 
...do... 

Bushel. 
...do... 
...do... 



Yields. 



Total. 



66,713 

110 

106, 080 

13, 133 

72, 684 

171 

390 

119,319 



879 

617 

168, 990 

1,235 



1, 035, 956 

8,363 

133, 103 



70,109 
101,067 

747 

116,310 
384 
325 
717 

157,899 
104 



647 

1,161 

159, 815 



713,257 

5,771 

165, 536 



Average 
per acre. 



1.8 

.8 

29.9 

7.3 

11.4 
13.2 

4.2 
18.0 

2.4 



1.0 

5.2 

21.1 

45.7 



167.0 
11.6 
14.6 



2.1 

27.2 

8.0 

10.6 
13.3 
1.8 
1.9 
17.3 
1.1 



1.0 
4.0 
24.1 



113.5 
6.7 
17.0 



Farm values. 



Per unit 
of yield. 



$13.00 
10.00 
1.10 
4.50 

10.75 
7.00 

10.00 
1.50 
4.00 



10.00 
1.50 
.80 
2.00 

15. 00 
5.00 
.60 
1.25 
1.90 



15.00 
1.25 
3.00 

11.00 
6.00 
4.00 

18.00 
1.30 
4.00 



10.00 
1.50 



15.00 
15.00 
1.00 
1.25 
1.90 



Total. 



$867, 269 

1,100 

116,688 

59,098 

7S1,353 
1,197 
3,900 

178, 978 

3,352 

14, 905 

8,790 

925 

135, 192 
2,470 

37, 455 

3,090 

621, 574 

10, 454 

252, 895 

25 



3,100,710 



1,051,635 

126,333 

2,241 

1,279,410 

2,304 

1,304 

12,906 

205,009 

416 

13, 130 

6,470 

1,741 

127, 852 

35,850 
5,415 

713, 257 
7,214 

314, 518 
9,730 



3,916,736 



Per acre. 



$22. 91 

8.08 

32.87 

32.83 

122.26 
92.08 
41.49 
27.01 

9.55 
42.95 
10.49 

7.84 
16.91 
91.48 

15.00 

5.00 

100.21 

14.50 

27.80 

1.25 



36.35 



31.44 
33.96 
23.59 

116.65 
79.45 

7.20 
33.35 
22.51 

4.29 
48.63 
10.50 

6.03 
19.31 

15.00 
15.00 
113.50 
8.40 
32.24 
45.47 



45.71 



The use of alfalfa as pasture, particularly for hogs, has continued 
to be an important feature of the cropping system. Though the 
number of hogs reported has declined during the 5-year period from 
an average of 20 per farm in 1915 to less than 9 per farm in 1919, 
the area of alfalfa pastured has declined only from 3,000 to 2,400 
acres. The important field crops other than alfalfa grown on the 
interstate unit may be grouped into two classes, the food crops and 



Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 9 

the feed crops. The first class includes sugar beets, wheat, potatoes, 
and beans, grown chiefly for sale. The second class includes corn, 
oats, and barley, chiefly fed on the farm where produced or sold for 
feeding local live stock. 

Table III. — Statistical summary of acreage, yields, and farm values of the principal 
crops grown on the North Platte Reclamation Project from 1910 to 1919, inclusive. 



Item and year. 


All crops. 


Alfalfa. 


Beets. 


Potatoes. 


Corn. 


Barley. 


Oats. 


Wheat. 


Acreage: 

1910 


42,362 
44, 736 
50,250 
56, 829 
60,532 
70,007 
75, 620 
83, 203 
85, 308 
85, 690 


3,707 
8,880 
19,512 
27,298 
32, 464 
31, 788 
32,601 
34, 374 
37, 863 
33, 446 


283 
343 

667 
2,920 
5,083 
7,872 
9,024 
9,357 
6,391 
10, 968 


3,854 
3,190 
1,192 
1,156 
1,097 
1,395 
1,735 
4,833 
6,203 
6,284 


5,207 
4,563 
6,260 
3,561 
6,024 
10,343 
6,715 
6,051 
6,627 
9,107 


1,138 
902 
1,156 
2,331 
2,261 
2,329 
4, 857 
3,052 
3,550 
3,720 


11,419 
12,271 
10, 093 
8,590 
7,017 
7,112 
10,375 
10, 173 
7,997 
6,620 


9,597 


1911 


6,715 


1912 


4,390 


1913 


2,182 


1914 


609 


1915 


1,878 


1916 


2,617 


1917 


3,128 


1918 


9,097 


1919 


9,767 






Production: 

1910 




Tons. 
7,763 
18,883 
42,604 
61, 728 
71.405 
62', 491 
59, 706 
58, 656 
66,713 
70, 109 

2.0 
2.1 
2.2 
2.3 
2.2 
2.0 
1.8 
1.7 
1.8 
2.1 


Tons. 
1,126 
2,439 
7,132 
32, 739 
53,282 
97,753 
92, 104 
99, 790 
72, 684 
116,310 

4.0 
7.0 
11.0 
11.0 
10.5 
12.5 
10.2 
10.7 
11.4 
10.6 


Bushels. 
139, 440 
44,316 
121, 392 
151,304 
159,027 
251,833 
274,100 
1, 119, 626 
1,035,956 
713, 257 

39.0 
14.0 
102.0 
131. 
145.0 
181.0 
158.0 
231.7 
167.0 
113.5 


Bushels. 
15,806 
62, 454 
96, 821 
67,001 
93, 186 
209, 626 
125,911 
117,008 
119,319 
157, 699 

3.0 
14.0 
15.0 
19.0 
15.0 
20.0 
19.0 
19.3 
18.0 
17.3 


Bushels. 
8,545 
12, 935 
31,064 
49, 522 
53, 022 
87, 037 
106,096 
94, 868 
106,080 
101,067 

8 
14 
27 
21 
23 
37 
22 
31 
30 
27 


Bushels. 
151,773 
183, 287 
295,360 
211, 599 
146, 211 
198, 692 
191, 204 
243,764 
168, 990 
159,815 

13 
15 
29 
25 
21 
28 
18 
24 
21 
24 


Bushels. 
85,127 


1911 




82, 376 


1912 




75, 354 


1913 




32, 489 


1914 




9,979 


1915 




33, 785 


1916 




28,207 


1917 




47, 467 


1918 




133, 103 


1919 




165,536 


Average yield per 
acre: 
1910 




9.0 


1911 




12.0 


1912 




17.0 


1913 




15.0 


1914 




16.0 


1915 




18.0 


1916 




11.0 


1917 




15.2 


1918 




15.0 


1919 




17.0 


FARM VALUE. 

Per unit of yield: 
1910 




$7.00 
6.00 
5.00 
5.00 
4.50 
5.00 
7.50 
17.00 
13.00 
15.00 

14.66 
12.76 
10.92 
11.31 
9.90 
9.83 
13.74 
29.00 
22.91 
31.44 

54,341 
113,298 
213,020 
308, 640 
321,322 
312, 455 
447, 795 
997, 152 
807, 269 
1,051,635 


$5.00 
5.00 
5.60 
5.50 
5.50 
5.50 
6.26 
7.50 
10.75 
11.00 

19.90 
35.55 
59.88 
61.67 
57.65 
68.30 
63.79 
79.99 
122.26 
116. 65 

5,630 
12, 195 
39, 939 
180, 064 
293, 051 
537, 641 
575, 650 
74S, 425 
781,353 
1, 279, 410 


$0.50 
.75 
.25 
.45 
.35 
.40 
.90 
.80 
.60 
1.00 

18.09 
10.42 
25.46 
58.90 
50.74 
72.21 
142.18 
185. 33 
100. 21 
113.50 

69,720 
33,237 
30, 348 
68, 086 
55, 659 
100, 733 
246, 690 
895, 700 
621,573 
713, 237 


$0.35 

.60 

.40 

.70 

.75 

.50 

.70 

1.50 

1.50 

1.30 

1.06 
8.21 
6.19 
13.17 
11.60 
10.13 
13.13 
29.01 
27.01 
22.51 

5,532 
37, 472 
38,728 
46,900 
69, 889 
104, 813 
88, 137 
175,512 
178, 978 
205, 008 


$0.35 

.60 

.50 

.60 

.60 

.45 

.60 

1.20 

1.10 

1.25 

2.62 
8.60 
13.44 
12.75 
14.07 
16.82 
13.10 
37.30 
32.87 
33.96 

2,990 

7,761 

15,532 

29, 713 

31,813 

39, 166 

63,657 

113,841 

116,688 

126,333 


$0.40 
.50 
.35 
.40 
.40 
.40 
.50 
.70 
.80 
.80 

5.32 

7.47 
10.24 

9.85 

8.33 
11.18 

9.21 
16.77 
16.91 
19.31 

60,709 
91, 643 
103, 376 
84,639 
58,484 
79,476 
95,602 
170, 634 
135, 192 
127,852 


$0.70 


1911 




.75 


1912 




.67 


1913 




.63 


1914 




.85 


1915 




.90 


1916 




1.20 


1917 




1.80 


1918 




1.90 


1919 




1.90 


Per acre: 

1910 


$6.47 
8.67 
11.04 
14.40 
14.95 
18. 55 
21.85 
41.92 
36.35 
45.71 

274, 217 

388, 225 

521,455 

786, 619 

890, 202 

1,263,616 

1,633,389 

3,385,059 

3,100,711 

3,916,736 


6.21 


1911 


9.20 


1912 


11.50 


1913 


9.38 


1914 


13.93 


1915 


16.19 


1916 


12.93 


1917 


27.31 


1918 


27.80 


1919 


32.24 


Total: 

1910 


59,588 


1911 


61, 782 


1912 


50, 487 


1913 


20, 468 


1914 


8,482 


1915 


30, 406 


1916 


33,848 


1917 


85, 440 


1918 


252, 895 


1919 


314,518 







42458°— 21- 



10 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 

During the 5-year period under consideration, the area devoted to 
the food crops has increased from 11,000 to 27,000 acres, or 2\ times. 
The area devoted to the feed crops has fluctuated slightly, but has 
been about 20,000 acres each year, although the total cropped acreage 
of the unit has increased during the five years by nearly 18,000 acres. 

LIVE STOCK. 

While in some lines the live-stock industry on the project shows a 
slight increase, in others it shows a marked decrease. There was an 
increase in the number of horses in 1918 over that of 1917, but in 
1919 came a slight decline. Beef cattle continued to decrease 
through both years, while dairy cattle made a slight but steady 
increase. Sheep in the form of farm flocks made a substantial 
increase. The greatest decrease was in the number of hogs, which 
fell from 25,123 in 1916 to 11,200 in 1919. Both fowls and bees 
increased. 

The feeding of live stock has declined. In 1918 only 28,000 lambs 
were fed, while during the three previous years the number fed each 
winter did not fall below 80,000. A good profit was made on those 
fed in 1918, which stimulated the feeding the following winter, when 
50,000 lambs were fed with very satisfactory profits. While the 
number of cattle fed decreased slightly, the number is more constant 
than in the case of lambs. Cattle feeding was not very profitable 
during the winters of 1918-19 and 1919-20. A summary of the 
live-stock industry is given in Table IV, compiled from the records 
of the United States Reclamation Service. 

Table IV. — Number of live stock on the North Platte Reclamation Project during the 
9-year period from 1911 to 1919. 





On hand at the close of the year. 


Brought on for feeding. 


Year. 


Horses. 


Cattle. 


Sheep. 


Hogs. 


Fowls. 


Bees 

(hives). 


Sheep. 


Cattle. 


Horses. 




Beef. 


Dairy. 


1911 


2,722 
3,329 
3,785 
4,618 
5,910 
6,398 
6,800 
7,732 
7,427 


2, 


79 


2,000 
2,000 
5,000 
605 
2,254 
1,401 
1,000 
3,700 
3,500 


7,000 
9,123 
14, 2S6 
22, 143 
24, 928 
25, 123 
16,550 
15, 250 
11,200 


2,000 
3,000 
37, 620 
43, 898 
46, 971 
59, 249 
56, 015 
61,800 
65,480 


50 
80 
315 
476 
630 
764 
517 
632 
651 


25,000 
55,000 
63,000 
75,000 
83,000 
83,500 
80, 000 
28,000 
56,000 






1912... 


1, 866 






1913 


1,640 
1,669 
4,723 
5,010 
6,035 
5,100 
4,000 


1,326 
1,521 
2,218 
3,040 
3,345 
3,400 
3,500 


3,666 
4,700 
3,000 
4,600 
5,400 
4,200 
5,300 




1914 


700 


1915 


500 


1916 


500 


1917 


500 


1918 


800 


1919 


200 







It is very obvious why the hog industry has declined. Even on 
the corn-belt farms the corn fed to hogs could have been put on the 
market at a higher profit. And corn for hogs on the irrigated farms 
involved also the cost of freight on the corn and the commission of 
the middlemen. The alfalfa pasture of the irrigated farms could not 



Scottsbhiff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 



11 



replace enough of this high-priced corn to show a profit. As a con- 
sequence, farmers in many cases have closed out their hogs. Under 
normal conditions this section with its abundance of alfalfa pasture 
and its more favorable farrowing season can compete very favorably 
with the corn belt in raising hogs. 

While the number of dairy cows on the project shows but a slight 
increase, it is perhaps true that the cows are better distributed. 
The tendency seems still to be to have a few cows on each farm 
rather than large dairy herds. Where a few dairy cows are kept on 
the farm they furnish a ready market for the surplus hay and other 
roughage. They also supply a cream check each month which goes 
a long way toward paying the grocery bill, and if the number of cows 
is not too great their care will not interfere materially with the 
general field operations. There is perhaps less risk of financial loss 
with a small herd of dairy cows than with any other form of live 

stock. 

CROP EXPERIMENTS. 

ALFALFA. 

As the summer of 1919 was long and unusually hot the yields of 
alfalfa where it had sufficient water were above normal. Many fields 
however, suffered from a lack of moisture. In many cases where the 
fields did not receive sufficient water to give the alfalfa a quick start 
after being cut, the grasshoppers ate it off nearly as fast as it came 
on, so that on these fields the yield was far below normal. Perhaps 
the greatest damage done to this crop by grasshoppers was to the 
new seeding. 

COMPARISON OF SPRING SEEDING AND FALL SEEDING. 

In the irrigated rotation experiments eight plats of alfalfa are 
seeded each year, five plats in the spring on beet land and three 
plats in the fall in oat stubble. In most years the fall seeding is 
completed before the end of August. In each case the alfalfa is 
seeded with a disk drill. The stubble is left standing as a winter 
protection for the young alfalfa. The yields from each of these 
seedings and from the plats on which the alfalfa is 2 or 3 years old, 
are given in Table V. 

Table V. — Spring seeding of alfalfa on beet landin 1919 compared ivith fall seeding in oat 
stubble in 1918 and for a 6-year period on the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm 





Num- 
ber of 
plats. 


Yield per acre (tons). 


Crop. 


Season of 1919. 


6-year 




Maxi- 
mum. 


Mini- 
mum. 


Mean. 


1914 to 
1919. 




5 
3 

11 


3.57 
2.10 
7.75 


2.5 
0.0 
2.11 


2. 85 
1.10 
5.25 


1.51 




3.21 




5.22 







12 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 

Up to 1917 the fall seeding of alfalfa in grain stubble had been 
very successful and the yield the following summer had averaged 
but little less than from well-established stands. The fall seedings 
of 1917, 1918, and 1919, however, were almost complete failures, 
because of the damage done by grasshoppers. When grasshoppers 
are numerous it is very likely to be a waste of time and seed to sow 
alfalfa in the fall. While fall seeding and spring seeding with a 
nurse crop have proved failures during the grasshopper years, the 
alfalfa that was seeded alone in the spring on beet land has given 
very good stands. It is clear that grasshoppers will not damage 
young alfalfa as much when growing among weeds as they will 
when it is grown with a grain crop. Seeding alfalfa in the spring 
without a nurse crop is justified only as a means of avoiding grass- 
hopper injury. When the crop is seeded alone in the spring on old 
land weeds become very troublesome. They retard the growth of 
the alfalfa as much as a grain crop would if seeded as a nurse crop, 
and the grain crop is far more profitable than weeds. The hay cut 
from the spring and fall seeding in 1919 was of very poor grade, 
having a large percentage of weeds and grass. 

PASTURING ALFALFA WITH HOGS. 

The hog-pasturing experiments conducted in 1917 were con- 
tinued during the summer of 1918. There were four lots of 10 hogs 
each. Lots 1 and 2 each had access to 1 acre of alfalfa, while lots 3 
and 4 each had access to half an acre. Lot 1 differed from lot 2 in 
that the whole pasture for lot 1 was cut for hay every 30 days, while 
alternate halves of the pasture for lot 2 were cut every 15 days. 
Lot 3 differed from lot 4 in that the pasture for lot 3 was divided 
and the hogs were alternated from one to the other, while the pasture 
for lot 4 was not divided. 

Each lot was fed a 2 per cent corn ration during the first two and 
one-half months, and during the last part of the pasturing season the 
corn was increased to a 3 per cent ration in 1917. In 1918 each lot 
had access to a self-feeder. 

The experiment began early in May, as soon as the alfalfa was 
large enough to graze, and continued for 107 days in 1917 and 135 
days in 1918. The average initial weight of the hogs was 105 pounds 
for those used in 1917 and 84 pounds for those used in 1918. The 
average final weight varied from 241 pounds in lot 1 to 223 pounds 
in lot 4 for 1917 and from 248 pounds in lot 1 to 221 pounds in lot 4 
for 1918. 

Because the season was cold and backward in 1917, and the grass- 
hoppers very troublesome in 1918, the yield of alfalfa was not up to 
normal. As a result but little hay was harvested from pastures 1 
and 2, and pastures 3 and 4 were at times overpastured, particularly 



Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 



13 



pasture 4. The average of the results for the two years is given in 
Table VI. 

Table VI. — Results obtained by pasturing hogs in lots of 10 each on alfalfa on the 
Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1917 and 1918. 



Items of comparison. 



1-acre pasture. 



Lot 1. 



Lot 2. 



Half-acre pasture. 



Divided, 
lot 3. 



Not 

divided, 

lot 4. 



Total gains made pounds. 

Total corn fed do. . . 

Corn fed per pound of gain do. . . 

Hay harvested tons. 

Financial statement: 

Total cost of corn, at $1.07 per hundredweight 

Total value of gains, at $7 per hundredweight 

Net return 

Value of hay, at $8 per ton 

Net return of pasture per acre 



1.495 

5.286 

3.54 

.72 



1.478 

5.303 

3.59 

.73 



1.422 
5.275 
3.71 
None. 



1.297 
5.319 
4.10 
None. 



$56. 67 
104.65 

47.98 
5.76 

53.74 



$56. 74 
103. 46 

46.72 
5.84 

52.56 



$56. 44 
99.54 
43.10 



$56.91 
90.79 
33.85 



The results shown in Table VI indicate (1) that the differences in 
lots 1 and 2 were very slight, (2) that lots 1 and 2 consumed the 
greater part of the forage from the 1-acre pastures, (3) that lots 3 
and 4, especially lot 4, suffered a shortage of feed due to overpas- 
turing, and (4) that a divided pasture furnishes more forage than a 
pasture of the same area not divided. 

The financial statement in Table VI is based on 60 cents per bushel 
for corn, $8 a ton for hay, and $7 per hundredweight for gains in 
the weight of hogs. This is the scale of prices used in reporting 
previous experiments. The actual prices were very much higher at 
the time the experiments were conducted. The average cost of 
corn during the summer of 1917 was $3.50 per hundredweight, and 
during the summer of 1918 corn cost $3.25 per hundredweight. 
The hogs were sold on the Denver market. Those sold on Septem- 
ber 3, 1917, brought $18.35 per hundredweight, and those sold on 
September 24, 1918, brought $20 per hundredweight. With these 
actual prices the returns are higher than when the results are calcu- 
lated on the basis of normal prices. 

In 1917, when the hogs were charged $3.50 per hundredweight 
for corn and $30 an acre for alfalfa pasture and credited $17 per 
hundredweight for the gains made, the net profit per hog was $4.23 
for those in lot 1, $3.72 for those in lot 2, $4.27 for those in lot 3, 
and $2.69 for those in lot 4. In 1918, when the hogs were charged 
$3.25 per hundredweight for corn and $30 an acre for alfalfa pasture 
and credited $18.50 per hundredweight for the gains made, the net 
profit per hog was $7.48 for those in lot 1, $7.33 for those in lot 2, 
$8.07 for those in lot 3, and $4.80 for those in lot 4. 

These results show that alfalfa pasture at $30 per acre is a cheap 
feed compared with $3.25 per hundredweight for corn. It is there- 



14 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 

fore economy to give the hogs plenty of pasture to save corn. In 
this test the hogs that had access to unrestricted pasture were fed 
356 pounds of corn for each 100 pounds of gain, and this gain was 
made during the finishing period, which required more corn than 
during the growing period. While it is highly desirable that the 
hogs have plenty of pasture, it is not good practice to let hogs have 
the run of a large field that is to be harvested for hay. 



COMPARISON OF LIMITED AND UNLIMITED GRAIN 

PASTURE. 



RATIONS FOR HOGS ON ALFALFA 



The pasturing test here described has been conducted but one 
season. There were three lots of 10 shotes each. Lots 1 and 2 had 
access to 1 acre of pasture not divided, and lot 3 had access to half 
an acre which was divided. Lot 1 was fed corn from a self-feeder, 
while lots 2 and 3 were fed about a 2 per cent ration during the first 
60 days, and then the corn ration was gradually increased to 3 per 
cent at the end of 90 days; they were given access to a self-feeder 
during the last 30 days. 

Table VII. — Results obtained from hogs in lots of 10 each on alfalfa pasture in 1919. 



Items of comparison. 



Duration of test days. 

Total initial weight pounds. 

Total gains made do. . . 

Total corn fed do. . . 

Corn fed per pound of gain do. . . 

Hay harvested tons. 

Financial statement: 

Total cost of corn at $1.07 per hundredweight 

Total value of gains at $7 per hundredweight 

Value of hay at $8 per ton 

Net return of pasture per acre 



Self- 
feeder, 

1 acre, 

not 

divided, 

lot 1. 



90 

1,250 

1,475 

5,383 

3.65 

1.84 



$57. 60 

103. 25 

14.72 

60.37 



Limited grain 
ration. 



1 acre, 

not 

divided, 

lot 2. 



120 

1,194 

1,256 

4,376 
3.48 
1.19 



$46.82 
89.22 
9.52 
51.92 



One-half 
acre, 

divided, 
lot 3. 



120 
1,202 
1,158 
4,611 

3.98 
None. 



$49. 34 
81.06 
None. 
63.44 



When normal prices are used the financial statement in Table VII 
shows a profit, but when actual prices are used each lot shows a loss. 
During the summer of 1919 the price of corn varied from $3.25 to 
$4 per hundredweight. The average price of the corn fed to these 
hogs was about $3.85 per hundredweight. The shotes were sold on 
the Denver market on September 6, 1919, at $16.25 per hundredweight. 
When the hogs are charged $3.85 per hundredweight for corn and 
$30 an acre for alfalfa pasture and credited $15 per hundredweight 
for the gains made, the loss per hog is $1.60 for those in lot 1, $1.01 
for those in lot 2, and $1 .88 for those in lot 3. This does not represent 
the total loss, however. The hogs used in this experiment cost $19 
per hundredweight at the beginning of the experiment. When the 
original cost of the shotes is considered, the hogs in lot 1 each lost 



Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 



15 



$6.60, those in lot 2 $5.78, and those in lot 3 $6.69. If labor, interest, 
and risk are considered the losses would be still greater. 



ROTATION TEST FOR ALFALFA HOG PASTURE. 

The third-year alfalfa plat in rotation 65 is pastured by hogs. The 
grazing season is divided into two periods, fall-farrowed shotes being 
used in the first period and spring-farrowed hogs in the second period. 
The plat covers a quarter of an acre and is divided into two parts, 
which are grazed alternately. The hogs are fed a 2 per cent ration 
of corn while on pasture. The results for 1919 compared with a 
7-year average, all figured to the basis of 1 acre, are shown in Table 
VIII. 

Table VIII— Results of pasturing alfalfa with hogs in 1919 compared with the average 
for the 7-year period from 1913 to 1919, inclusive. 



Items of comparison. 



Number of hogs pastured 

Total initial weight pounds . . 

Total gains made do 

Total corn fed do 

Corn fed per pound of gain do 

Financial statement : 

Net return from pasture 

Cost per hundredweight of gain, pasture at $15, corn at $1 .07 
per hundredweight '. 



Season of 1919. 



Spring 
period. 



24 

1,812 

1,292 

3,880 

3.00 



$48. 03 
3.77 



Summer 
period. 



40 

2,560 

1,900 

4,036 

2.44 



$83.40 
3.03 



Total. 



3,192 
8,516 
2.67 



$131.43 
3.32 



7-year 
average. 



3,104 
7,813 
2.48 



$133. 69 
3.18 



When the value of the gains made is figured at $7 per hundred- 
weight and the corn fed at 60 cents per bushel, the net return per 
acre of alfalfa pasture is $48.03 for the first and $83.40 for the second 
period, making a total of $131.43 for the season. On the same basis, 
the average net return for seven years is $133.69 per acre. Alfalfa 
plats comparable to the plat pastured gave an average yield of 5.25 
tons per acre for the season. On the basis of this yield, the hogs paid 
the equivalent of $25.03 per ton for the 1919 hay crop. The average 
yield for seven years of alfalfa plats similar to those pastured was 5.22 
tons per acre. At this rate the hogs returned annually a value of 
$25.61 per ton for the hay harvested in the field. The average 
weight of pork produced per acre for the 7-year period is 3,104 pounds. 
It required 248 pounds of corn in addition to the alfalfa pasture to 
produce 100 pounds of pork. 

COMPARISON OF TURKESTAN AND COMMON ALFALFAS. 

Results previously reported from this farm make it clear that hogs 
show a very decided preference for Turkestan alfalfa over the com- 
mon variety. With this information at hand an experiment was 
made to determine whether Turkestan alfalfa has a greater carrying 



16 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 

capacity or a higher nutrition value than common alfalfa. During 
the summers of 1918 and 1919 a quarter-acre plat of each of these 
varieties was pastured by hogs. The lots of hogs were uniform and 
received the same allowance of corn. In 1919 the hogs on the 
Turkestan alfalfa made 763 pounds gain, while those on the common 
alfalfa made 764 pounds gain. For each pound of gain made the 
hogs on Turkestan alfalfa were fed 2.64 pounds of corn and those on 
common alfalfa 2.77 pounds of corn. The results in 1918 were con- 
sistent with those of 1919. The average results for the two years 
show that hogs on Turkestan alfalfa made 637 pounds gain and 
those on the common alfalfa 663 pounds gain. For each pound of 
gain made the hogs on Turkestan were fed 3.12 pounds of corn and 
those on common alfalfa 3.02 pounds. These results show that 
Turkestan alfalfa does not have any advantage over common alfalfa 
as a pasturing crop for hogs. 

PASTURING SHEEP ON ALFALFA. 

During the summers of 1917, 1918, and 1919 a small flock of 
breeding ewes and lambs was pastured on alfalfa. In 1917 there 
were no losses from bloat. In 1918 four in a flock of about 30 died 
from bloat, and in 1919 three died from bloat. From the experience 
of these three years it does not seem advisable to pasture sheep on 
alfalfa. While the gains are very satisfactory, the risk is too great. 

SWEET CLOVER FOR PASTURE. 

Sweet clover is proving a very satisfactory pasture crop on the 
North Platte project. While there are cases of cattle bloating from 
eating sweet clover, it is not nearly so dangerous as alfalfa. There 
has never been a case of bloat from eating sweet clover at this sta- 
tion. During the summer of 1919 3 acres of sweet clover that had 
been seeded with wheat in the spring of 1918 were pastured by 
10 dairy cows. The cows were turned into the pasture on May 1 
and the number mentioned were kept on the 3 acres continuously 
until the last of September. These 10 cows were unable to keep the 
pasture grazed down. Of these cows 4 gave milk and were kept in 
the yard at night and fed alfalfa hay, while the others were kept on 
the pasture day and night. The pasture was divided, and the cows 
were alternated from one part to the other every 10 days or 2 weeks. 

The 4 cows that gave milk were changed to grass pasture, and 
4 cows from grass pasture were changed to the sweet-clover pasture 
every two weeks. The cows were weighed at each change and a 
record of the yield of milk was kept. There was practically no differ- 
ence in the milk flow when the cows were changed from one pasture 
to the other; if any slight difference was perceptible, the average for 
the season was in favor of the sweet clover. In weight, the cows 
held up fully as well when on sweet clover as on grass pasture. 



Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 17 

As a pasture crop sweet clover is becoming more popular on the 
project each year. While this crop can not make a permanent 
pasture, it fits well into a short rotation which furnishes a new pas- 
ture field each summer. The main drawback to sweet clover as a 
pasture crop is the possibility of a failure in getting a stand, which 
would leave the farm without pasture the following summer. As 
grasshoppers do not damage sweet clover seriously, a stand of it is 
not so difficult to get as of alfalfa. Perhaps the best time and 
method of seeding sweet clover are early in the spring with wheat 
as a nurse crop. 

The following 4-year rotation is suggested for those who wish to 
grow sweet clover for pasture: (1) Wheat and sweet clover, (2) sweet- 
clover pasture, (3) potatoes, corn, or beets, and (4) corn or beets. 
It is evident that sweet clover has a beneficial effect on succeeding 
crops, just as is the case with alfalfa. 

SUGAR BEETS. 

TIME-OF-THINNING TEST. 

It often happens that laborers contracting to care for sugar beets 
undertake to handle a larger acreage than they are able to thin before 
some of the beets become rather large. The object of this experiment 
was to determine just what effect this late thinning has on the yield. 
The experiment began in 1917 and was continued during 1918 and 
1919. In 1919 this test was conducted on land (field H-VI-VII-north) 
that was in potatoes the previous year. This land was spring plowed, 
and the beets were planted May 1. The field was divided into four 
plats of 36 rows each. On June 10 the first 12 rows in each plat 
were thinned, on June 20 the second 12 rows, and on June 30 the 
third 12 rows. In other respects the plats received the same treat- 
ment. The stand on these plats was fairly good. The average 
yield of the rows in the four plats that were thinned on June 10 was 
18.79 tons. These thinned on June 20 averaged 16.8 tons, and those 
thinned on June 30 yielded 13.32 tons per acre. In other words, the 
yield was cut down 1.19 tons per acre by a delay of 10 days in thin- 
ning and 4.28 tons per acre by a delay of 20 days. The results of these 
experiments for the past three years are given in Table IX. 

The average results for three years show that where thinning was 
delayed 10 days the yield was cut down 1.61 tons per acre, and with 
a delay of 20 days the yield was reduced 5.09 tons per acre. As 
shown in Table IX this decrease caused by late thinning has been 
consistent each year. On the basis of these results 25 acres of beets 
thinned at the proper time will produce the same tonnage as 34.5 
acres thinned 20 days later. When beets are worth $10 a ton and 
the hauling costs $1 plus the value of the beet tops per ton, the net 
42458°— 21 3 



18 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 

profit from beets thinned at the proper time will be $45.80 per acre 
more than from beets thinned 20 days later. On a 25-acre field 
this extra profit would amount to $1,145. The time of thinning has 
more influence on the yield than is generally realized. Early plant- 
ing and early thinning are recommended. 

Table IX. — Yield of sugar beets grown on the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm on plats 
thinned at different dates in 1917, 1918, and 1919. 





Average yield per acre (tons). 


Year. 


Time of thinning. 


Decrease from delay 
in thinning. 




Early. 


10 days 
later. 


20 days 
later. 


10 days 
later. 


20 days 
later. 


1917 . 


17.16 
19.26 
18.79 


13.77 
19.02 
17.60 


9.61 
15.83 
14.51 


3.39 
.24 
1.19 


7.55 


1918 


3.43 


1919 . 


4.28 








18.40 


16.80 


13.32 


1.61 


5.09 







COMPARATIVE EFFECT OF MANURE AND ALFALFA ON YIELDS OF SUGAR BEETS. 

In the irrigated rotations sugar beets are grown on quarter-acre 
plats in 14 different crop rotations. In four of these rotations the 
beets receive manure, in four rotations they receive the residual 
effect of alfalfa, and in six rotations they receive neither manure nor 
the effect from alfalfa. In three of the manured rotations sugar 
beets follow the manure, while in one rotation they follow potatoes 
that have been manured. In two rotations sugar beets follow 
alfalfa the second season after the alfalfa is plowed up, and in two 
rotations they follow alfalfa the third season. 

The results covering seven years are presented in Table X. The 
beet crop in 1916 was damaged by hail and is therefore omitted from 
the table. 

Table X. — Comparative effect of manure and alfalfa on yield of siigar beets on the Scotts- 
bluff Experiment Farm from 1912 to 1919, inclusive, omitting 1916. 





Average yield per acre (tons). 


Year. 


Check, 
6 plats. 


Manured, 
4 plats. 


Alfalfa, 
4 plats. 


Increase in favor of— 




Manure. 


Alfalfa. 


1912 


17.79 
17.01 
14.39 
10.73 
11.09 
11.99 
8.13 


21.09 
22.87 
18.26 
14.67 
17.16 
21.55 
15.76 




3.30 

5.87 
3.87 
3.94 
6.07 
9.56 
7.63 




1913 






1914 


20.92 
14.76 
15.76 
19.08 
16.38 


6.53 


1915 .. 


4.42 


1917 


4.67 


1918. . . 


7.09 


1919 


a 25 








13.02 


18.96 


17.38 


5.75 


6.19 







Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 19 

Table X shows that the increase due to the effect of manure has 
varied from 9.56 tons in 1918 to 3.3 tons in 1912, with a 7-year 
average of 5.75 tons per acre. These plats were manured at the rate 
of 12 tons per acre. On this basis each ton of manure increased the 
beet yield 0.48 of a ton, or the equivalent of $3.84 when $2 a ton is 
allowed out of $10 for hauling the extra tonnage of beets. 

The increase due to the residual effect of the alfalfa has varied 
from 8.25 tons in 1919 to 4.42 tons in 1915, with a 5-year average of 
6.19 tons per acre. In other words, the residual effect of alfalfa even 
during the second and third seasons after the alfalfa was plowed up 
amounted during a 5-year period to a net increase of $49.52 per acre. 

The average yield of beets from the manured and the alfalfa plats 
is slightly more than 18 tons per acre, while the average yield from 
plats in the rotation without manure or alfalfa for the past five 
years is a little over 11 tons per acre. It is generally conceded that 
it requires a 9-ton yield of beets to pay expenses. Anything above 9 
tons is profit, while anything under 9 tons is loss. On this basis, the 
following statement shows the profit per acre from different acre 
yields : 

A yield of 9 tons pays expenses. 
A yield of 11 tons pays expenses plus 2 tons for profit. 
A yield of 12 tons pays expenses plus 3 tons for profit. 
A yield of 15 tons pays expenses plus 6 tons for profit. 
A yield of 18 tons pays expenses plus 9 tons for profit. 

This statement indicates that the profit from a 15- ton yield is 
twice as much as from a 12-ton yield, the profit from an 18-ton 
yield being 4^ times that from a yield of 11 tons. An acre of beets 
that yields 18 tons gives the same net profit as the yield from 4£ 
acres that produce 11 tons per acre. On an 80-acre farm where 3 
acres are used for buildings and 77 acres for field crops, the crop 
area may be divided into seven fields of 1 1 acres each and the follow- 
ing 7-year rotation followed: (1) Small grain and alfalfa, (2) alfalfa, 
(3) alfalfa, (4) alfalfa, (5) potatoes, (6) beets, (7) beets manured. 
On this basis the number of profit tons from the 22 acres of beets 
grown in the sixth and seventh years will amount to 44 tons more 
than from the entire 77 acres where beets are grown on land that 
has not recently been manured or in alfalfa. Such a cropping system 
will not only give 44 more profit-tons of beets than the 1-crop 
system, but there will be the profit from 1 1 acres of grain, 33 acres of 
alfalfa, and 11 acres of potatoes, all grown on good productive land. 
Such a cropping system will not require as much labor as where the 
whole farm area is in beets; and the labor and available water re- 
quired to produce these various crops will be very much better 
distributed. 



20 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 

EFFECT OF FERTILIZERS ON THE YIELDS OF SUGAR BEETS. 

A fertilizing test is being conducted on 39 plats in field F-I. This 
series of plats is made up of 13 sets of plats in triplicate. Two of 
these sets, or six plats, are checks which received no manurial treat- 
ment. In 1917 five sets of plats received barnyard manure, two sets 
received bone meal, two sets received dried blood, and two sets 
received both bone meal and dried blood. 

Barnyard manure was applied at the rate of 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 
tons per acre to each set of the manured plats. In the same year 
bone meal was applied at the rate of 300 pounds and 600 pounds per 
acre to each of two sets of plats, and dried blood was applied at the 
rate of 200 pounds and 400 pounds per acre to each of two sets of 
plats. Also bone meal and dried blood were both applied at the 
rate of 300 pounds and 200 pounds, respectively, to one set of plats, 
and the same fertilizers were applied at the rate of 600 pounds of 
bone meal and 400 pounds of dried blood to another set of plats. 

In 1918 no commercial fertilizers were used, but manure was 
applied at the same rate as in 1917 to one of each of the plats in 
each of the five sets manured the previous year. In 1918 also manure 
was applied at the rate of 24 tons per acre to one plat of each of the 
sets of plats that received bone meal or dried blood, or both, in 1917. 
Of all the manured or fertilized plats, 22 received no additional 
application in 1918. Sugar beets were grown on these plats both years. 

The yield of sugar beets from the plats receiving barnyard manure 
showed a considerable increase in 1917. This increase, however, 
was not in proportion to the quantity of manure applied. Where 
12 tons of manure was applied, the increase in yield of sugar beets 
was 3.1 tons per acre; where 60 tons of manure was applied, the 
increase was 4.1 tons of beets per acre. Had the 60 tons of manure 
been applied to 5 acres instead of one the increase in yield of beets 
due to this same quantity of manure would have been 20.5 tons 
instead of 4.1 tons. It would seem from these results that where 
the available manure is limited, and this is the case on most farms, 
it is better to apply it at the rate of 10 or 12 tons per acre rather than 
in heavier applications, but in cases where there is an abundance of 
manure heavy application is advisable. 

The plats treated with commercial fertilizer showed a slight 
increase, but this increase was not so marked as where barnyard 
manure was used. The average yields from the check plats and 
from those severally treated with barnyard manure and commercial 
fertilizers are given in Table XL 

The yields obtained in 1918 show the direct effect of barnyard 
manure and also the residual effect of both manure and commercial 
fertilizers. The residual effect of barnyard manure applied in 1917 
was to increase the yield of beets 2.4 tons per acre. This same 



Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 



21 



residual effect plus the direct effect of the manure applied in 1918 
is shown in the yield of 4.4 tons per acre, which would indicate that 
the increase due to the application of additional manure in 1918 
was 2 tons per acre. The residual effect of the commercial fertilizer 
applied in 1917 was to increase the yield 2 tons per acre. On the 
plats that received commercial fertilizer in 1917 and barnyard 
manure in 1918 there was an increase of 4.6 tons per acre. By 
comparison it would seem that 2 tons of this increase was due to 
the residual effect of the commercial fertilizer. It is not clear just 
why the commercial fertilizer should show more increase the second 
year than the first year. The higher general yield in 1918 was due 
to seasonal conditions. 

Table XI. — Effect of the use of commercial fertilizers and barnyard manure on the yield 
of sugar beets grown on the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1917 and 1918. 



Treatment of plats. 



Num- 
ber of 
plats. 



Average yield per 
acre (tons). 



Actual. Increase. 



Season of 1917: 

Check (no fertilizer) 

Barnyard manure 

Commercial fertilizers 

Season of 1918: 

Check (no fertilizer) 

Barnyard manure in 1917 

Barnyard manure in 1917 and 1918 

Commercial fertilizers in 1917, manured 1918 

Commercial f ertilizers in 1917 



14.86 

18.28 
15.96 

19.4 
21.8 
23.8 
24.0 
21.4 



3.42 
1.10 



2.4 
4.4 
4.6 
2.0 



VARIETY TEST OF MANGELS. 



The variety test of mangels was continued during the summer of 
1918. They were grown in field D on land that was in potatoes in 
1917. The yields of varieties tested in 1918 and in previous years 
are shown in Table XII. 



Table XII.— Yields of different varieties of mangels on the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm 
from 1913 to 1918, inclusive, omitting 1916. 



Variety 






Yield per acre (tons) 






1913 


1914 


1915 


1917 


1918 


Average. 




36.50 
38.10 


17.80 
14.40 


18.20 
14.50 


24.50 
20.87 
28.46 
20.45 
25.01 


25.00 
29.90 


24.40 




23.55 




28.46 






19.60 
17.50 


18.40 
22.00 


30.10 
38.80 


22.14 




32.00 


27.06 







In previous years some trouble has been experienced in keeping 
mangels through the winter. Each variety that was grown in 1918 
was siloed separately. They were treated just as sugar beets are 
except that more soil was applied as the weather became colder. 



22 



Department Circular 173, 11. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



Care was taken that none of the mangels were frosted before being 
covered with soil. On opening these silos toward spring it was 
found that all varieties had kept exceptionally well. Probably 
the trouble in previous years has been caused by the mangels being 
frosted before they were put in the silo. After mangels are frozen 
it is very difficult to silo them successfully. The Giant Half-Sugar 
is perhaps the equal of any of the varieties. At Scottsbluff its 
average yield is higher than that of any other variety. 

POTATO VARIETY TEST. 

The potato variety test was conducted in 1919 on duplicate tenth- 
acre plats in field H-III on land that was used in growing small grain 
in 1918. Prior to 1917 this land was in alfalfa. The stubble was 
plowed in the fall. The potatoes were planted on May 27, the seed 
of each variety being first treated with corrosive sublimate. The 
average yields from these duplicate plats obtained in 1917, 1918, and 
1919 are presented in Table XIII. 

Table XIII.— Yields of potato varieties grown on the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 

1917, 1918, and 1919. 





Average yields per acre (bushels). 


Variety. 


1917 


1918 


1919 


3-year average. 




Culls. 


Market- 
able. 


Culls. 


Market- 
able. 


Culls. 


Market- 
able. 


Culls. 


Market- 
able. 




39.0 
30.4 
31.4 
35.3 
45.8 

41.6 


417.0 

424.7 
376.1 
297.5 
350.6 

443.3 


26.2 
24.0 
31.2 
13.7 
22.7 




261.1 
409.0 
323.9 
285.8 
299.7 


28.6 
65.9 
25.1 
23.1 


260.8 
251.1 
299.4 
142.1 


31.3 
40.1 
29.3 
24.0 
34.3 

34.2 
32.1 


312.9 




361.6 




333.1 


Pearl 


241.8 




325.1 


Rural New Yorker 
No 2 


26.8 
32.1 


282.7 
179.4 


363.0 








179.4 













1 Probably the Irish Cobbler variety. 

The quality of the potatoes grown in 1919 was very good, much 
better than that of the same varieties grown the previous two years. 
All of the seed used in 1919 was shipped into the valley, while that 
used in 1917 and 1918 was of varieties that had been grown at the 
station for a number of years. In 1917 and 1918 the potatoes were 
grown on alfalfa land, but the land used for potatoes in 1919 had not 
been in alfalfa for three years. A good stand was obtained on all 
plats except where the Pearl and the King were planted. On the 
Pearl plats there was not more than one-third of a stand, and on the 
King plats about two-thirds of a stand. 

The most striking feature in this variety test is the marked varia- 
tion within the same variety from year to year. There seems to be 
a wider variation within a variety than there is between different 
varieties. 



Scottsblaff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 



23 



In growing potatoes the matter of seed is a very important factor. 
Good seed of a poor variety will give better results than poor seed of 
a good variety. It is very difficult to grow a good potato crop from 
poor seed, no matter what the variety. The question of variety, 
however, is not to be disregarded. The variety should be (1) the 
kind of potato that the public demands and (2) one that will mature 
so early that the crop can be harvested before it is damaged by frost. 

In the North Platte Valley the Downing, the Eureka, the Pearl of 
the white type, and the Triumph of the red type are giving very 
satisfactory results when good seed is planted. The Downing ma- 
tures a little earlier than either of the other white varieties, and the 
Triumph matures a little earlier than the Downing. The Rural New 
Yorker No. 2 and the King will perhaps yield a little heavier than 
some of the other varieties, but they are rather late in maturing and 
are too often damaged by frost. While the Early Ohio is an early- 
maturing variety it is not recommended for irrigated land. When 
grown under irrigation it is usually very rough and knobby. 

Tests have been conducted to determine how late it is safe to plant 
potatoes. The results from these tests show that, as a general rule, 
the later plantings give smaller yields, but the tubers are of better 
grade. The difficulty in late planting is to get seed that will grow. 
If good seed is available, potatoes are perhaps as good, if not better, 
than any other crop to plant on blown-out beet land. In 1917 very 
good yields were obtained from plantings made as late as July 2. 
Potatoes planted so late will not mature sufficiently for the general 
market, but they can be used for seed the following year. 

EFFECT OF ALFALFA ON SUCCEEDING CROPS. 

In field K-V during the summers of 1914 and 1915, 8 plats of 
alfalfa were pastured with hogs, and 2 plats were harvested for hay. 
The 10 plats were plowed in the spring of 1916 and planted to pota- 
toes. In 1917 they were seeded to beets, in 1918 to oats, and in 
1919 to barley. Grasshoppers damaged the grain crops each year, 
but so far as could be observed the damage was nearly the same on 
all plats. The yields from the pastured plats were consistently 
higher each year than from the unpastured plats. The average 
yields from the pastured and unpastured plats for each year are 
shown in Table XIV. 

Table XIV. — Comparative yields of potatoes, sugar beets, and grain grown on alfalfa- 
hay land and on alfalfa-pasture land on the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm from 1916 to 
1919, inclusive. 





Num- 
ber 
of 
plats. 


Average yield of crop. 


Alfalfa land. 


Potatoes 
in 1916. 


Beets in 
I'll 7. 


Oats in 
1918. 


Barley 

in 1919. 




8 

2 


Bushels. 
316. I 
288. 8 


1 
18.29 
16. 72 


Bushels. 
79. 5 

60.8 


BusheJs. 
41.9 




23.4 










27.3 


1.57 


18.7 


18.2 









24 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 

EFFECT OF ALFALFA AND MANURE ON SUCCEEDING CROPS. 

In the irrigated rotation experiments there are 13 plats of potatoes, 
each grown in a different crop rotation. In four rotations potatoes 
follow alfalfa. In three rotations they are manured and in six 
others the rotations in which they are grown do not include alfalfa or 
receive manure. The average yields from the plats receiving differ- 
ent treatments for each year from 1913 to 1919 are indicated in 
Table XV. 

Table XV. — Effect of manure and the groiuing of alfalfa on the yields of potatoes on the 
Scottsblvff Experiment Farm from 1913 to 1919. 





Average yields per acre (bushels). 


Year. 


Check, 
6 plats. 


Ma- 
nured, 
3 plats. 


Alfalfa 
land, 
4 plats. 


Increase in favor 
of— 




Manure. 


Alfalfa. 


1913 


260.8 
149.8 
105.9 
197.8 
139.2 
90.1 
117.1 


339.2 
244.6 
156. 6 
205.0 
193.6 
122.6 
191.6 


376.6 
292.7 
221.2 
304.4 
295.1 
223.2 
262.2 


78.4 
94.8 
50.7 
7.2 
54.4 
32.5 
74.5 


115.8 


1914 

1915 


152.9 
115.3 


1916 


106.6 


1917 


155.9 


1918 


133.1 


1919... . 


145. 1 








151.5 


207.6 


2S2. 2 


56.1 


132. 1 







The increased yield of potatoes due to the residual effect of alfalfa 
varied from 106 bushels per acre in 1916 to 155.9 bushels per acre in 
1917, with a 7-year average of 132.1 bushels per acre. The manured 
plats show a 7-year average increase of 56.1 bushels per acre. The 
increase caused by alfalfa is more than twice as much as the increase 
caused by manure. In cases where both alfalfa and manured land 
are available and both potatoes and beets are to be grown, the best 
results will be obtained by putting potatoes on the alfalfa land and 
beets on the manured land. 



CORN. 



WHERE TO OBTAIN SEED CORN. 



Although the North Platte Valley is 4,000 feet above sea level, 
corn in most years matures well. It is necessary, however, to plant 
early-maturing varieties. A safe practice is to procure seed from 
some farmer in the neighborhood who has grown corn successfully 
for years. Getting seed from a section with a longer growing season 
is a mistake too often made in trying to obtain a higher yielding 
variety. Such seed when brought into a district with a short growing 
season fails to mature. Tests at the experiment farm have shown 
that corn of the same variety when grown under different climatic 
conditions becomes gradually adapted to its environment and in so 
doing acquires distinct characteristics. This was shown by a test 



Scottsblnff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 



25 



made during the summers of 1917 and 1918 when Calico corn that 
had been grown for years in the eastern part of Nebraska was grown 
side by side with Calico corn that had been planted in the North 
Platte Valley for some 15 or 20 years. These two strains originally 
came from the same source. The eastern strain grew much taller 
and had larger ears than the local strain. However, the corn from 
the local-grown seed was well matured by the middle of September, 
while that from the eastern-grown seed was still green. Even in 
1918, when killing frost did not occur until October 26, the corn from 
the eastern-grown seed was but little past the dough stage. The 
average yields from these two strains of Calico corn during the years 
1917 and 1918 were 66.9 bushels per acre of well-matured corn from 
the locally grown seed and 48.1 bushels per acre of very soft corn 
from the eastern-grown seed. When it is desired to try a new variety 
from a section where the growing season is longer, it should be 
tested on a small scale the first year or two. 



FIELD-CORN VARIETAL TESTS. 



Local varieties of corn that have been grown in the North Platte 
Valley for a number of years were used in this test. The names 
applied to some of these varieties are those of the farmers from whom 
the seed was obtained and who have grown and selected these par- 
ticular strains for some years past. Each variety was planted on four 
tenth-acre plats of fall-plowed stubble land in field H-IV-V. The 
average yields from the plats for 1917, 1918, and 1919, together with 
the 3-year average, are shown in Table XVI. 

Table XVI. — Yields of varieties of corn grown on the Scottsblnff Experiment Farm 

during 1917, 1918, and 1919. 





Average yield per acre (bushels). 


\ ariety or strain. 


1917 


1918 


1919 


Average. 




71.5 
55.1 
60.4 
61.1 
53.8 


66.4 
78.4 
54.2 
61.1 
47.8 
74.3 
61.1 


51.9 
47.6 
47.8 
39.9 


63.3 




60.4 




54.1 




54.0 




50.8 




48. 4 
50.8 


61.4 






56.0 









Both the Dry-Land White and the Calico varieties have been grown 
on the experiment farm during each of the past eight years, the 
former under dry-land conditions and the latter under irrigation. At 
the beginning, both were obtained from local farmers. The Sands 
White and the Sands Yellow were obtained from a Mr. Sands, of the 
Gering Valley, who has grown the white variety for many years and 
the yellow variety for a shorter period. As Mr. Sands had discon- 
tinued growing the yellow variety in 1918, no seed was available for 



26 



Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



the 1919 variety test. The Youngheim White corn has been grown 
by a Mr. Youngheim on his farm north of Mitchell for a number of 
years. The Elder White corn has been grown for about 10 years by a 
Mr. Elder on his farm just west of the experiment farm. The Love- 
lace Yellow corn has been grown in the Gering Valley for many 
years by a Mr. Lovelace,, of Mitchell. 



SILAGE TEST. 



A test of the yields of different silage crops has been conducted 
during the past three years. This test has included sunflowers, silage 
corn (Nebraska White or Hogue Yellow), and local field corn. In 
1919 this test was conducted on duplicate tenth-acre plats on field 
I—I, where barley had been grown the previous year. The land was 
manured in the spring at the rate of about 12 tons of barnyard 
manure per acre. The crops were planted on May 17. The field 
corn was harvested on September 22, and the silage corn and sun- 
flowers on September 27. The field corn, and perhaps the sunflowers, 
should have been harvested sooner, for the corn was well matured and 
the sunflowers were at least in the dough stage. The delay was caused 
by lack of help. The silage corn was just beginning to dent well. 
At the time the sunflowers were siloed about 10 per cent, by weight, of 
sugar-factory molasses was added to the silage. Pit silos were used. 
The average yields from these plats, figured to an acre basis, together 
with the average yields for 1917 and 1918, are shown in Table XVII. 

Table XVII. — Yields of corn and sunflowers used for silage on the Scottsbluff Experi- 
ment Farm in 1917, 1918, and 1919. 





Crop. 


Yield per acre (tons). 




1917 


1918 1919 


Average. 




22.93 
16.40 
10.92 


11.66 
12.88 
7.36 


14.35 
14.64 
9.39 


16.31 


Silage corn 

Field corn (local) 


14.64 
9.22 



The sunflowers were badly damaged in 1918 and 1919 by grass- 
hoppers eating the terminal bud, thus stopping the growth of the 
plant. The damage to the corn was not so great. Perhaps the 
yields obtained from these crops in 1917 are more representative of 
what may be expected under favorable conditions than are the 3-year 
average yields. The tonnage from sunflowers under favorable con- 
ditions will be much higher than from corn, but corn seems to with- 
stand attacks from pests and injury from drought better than sun- 
flowers. It is claimed for sunflowers that they can be grown more 
profitably than corn in sections having a very short growing season. 

The ensilage from these yield tests has been fed each year. In 
filling the silo in 1917 the corn and sunflowers were placed in layers 



Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 27 

of about 4 feet. This was done to see whether the cows would show 
any preference for either and whether a change from one to the other 
would cause any fluctuation in the milk flow. The cows did show a 
preference in favor of the corn silage. While they ate the sunflower 
silage very well, they would not eat so much of it as of the corn silage. 
There was no noticeable fluctuation in the milk flow. In 1918 one 
silo was filled with corn and the other with both corn and sunflowers, 
the sunflowers being put on the bottom and the corn used to finish 
filling the silo. The sunflowers filled about two-thirds of the silo. 
This silage was fed to dairy cows and to a pen of mixed dairy stock 
that was being fattened. The corn silage was fed first. When the 
change was first made both cows and fattening stock ate the sun- 
flower silage very well, but after being fed the sunflower silage for 
ten days or two weeks they would not eat so much. It seemed that 
for some reason the longer they were fed sunflowers the less they 
would clean up. The cows also dropped in their milk flow. In 1919 
the 1918 plan of filling the two silos was followed except that about 10 
per cent, by weight, of molasses from the sugar factory was added to 
the sunflowers. This was fed to dairy cows, beef steers, and fatten- 
ing lambs. All of the live stock ate the sunflower silage fairly well, 
but even with the sirup they did not relish it so well as they did the 
corn silage. 

Results covering three years indicate that sunflowers will yield 
more than silage corn and that silage corn will outyield field corn. 
The quality of the ensilage from each of these crops must also be 
considered. If the ensilage from field corn has no more feeding value 
than ensilage made from silage corn, then 10 acres of silage corn will 
produce as much feed as 15 acres of field corn on the basis of the 1917 
yield; and if the ensilage from sunflowers is as good as that made 
from field corn, then 10 acres of sunflowers will produce as much feed 
as 20 acres of field corn. As field corn has a higher percentage of 
ears to stalks than ensilage corn, it is reasonable to believe that 
field-corn ensilage has a higher feeding value than silage-corn ensilage. 
Numerous experiments have shown this to be true. It is also 
believed that ensilage made from the silage corn has a higher feeding 
value than ensilage made from sunflowers, but no definite statement 
can be made until more experimental work has been done. It is a 
fact, however, that stock show preference for corn silage. 

On a ton basis, therefore, there is little doubt as to which of these 
different silage crops is the best, but on an acre basis there is still 
some difference of opinion. From the data available at this experi- 
ment farm it is believed that the extra tonnage from silage corn over 
that from field corn will more than make up for the better quality 
of the field corn. It is further believed that the ensilage from silage 
corn is sufficiently higher in quality to offset the greater yield of 
sunflowers. 



28 



Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



Sunflowers require about the same cultural treatment as corn. 
They are planted with a corn planter, cultivated with a corn culti- 
vator, and, if they stand up well, can be harvested with a corn binder. 
If they become tangled or if they lean to any great extent, they 
must be cut by hand. Sunflowers are more difficult to handle than 



corn. 



As sunflowers require no machinery other than that used in growing 
corn, it may be well for farmers who grow ensilage crops to plant a 
small area to sunflowers as a test for future guidance. 



SMALL GRAINS. 



The small-grain variety tests in 1919 were conducted in field D on 
land that was in sugar beets and mangels in 1918. This land was 
double disked, harrowed, and floated. Each variety of grain was 
treated with formaldehyde before being seeded. Small grain suf- 
fered badly from lack of moisture during its early stage of growth. 
This was caused by lack of the usual spring rains and a shortage of 
irrigation water. Later in the season grasshoppers invaded the field 
in large numbers. Large quantities of poison bait were put out, 
but with very little success. Experiences at the experiment farm 
have shown that poison-bran bait is not very effective in combating 
grasshoppers in fields of small grain. The damage caused by drought 
and grasshoppers makes the yields obtained from the different grain 
varieties of little significance. 



WHEAT VARIETAL TESTS. 



Four varieties of wheat were seeded on duplicate tenth-acre 
plats. The results are recorded in Table XVIII. 



Table XVIII.- 



Yields of wheat varieties grown on the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 
1917, 1918, and 1919. 



Varieties. 


Y 


elds per acre (bushels). 


1917 


1918 


1919 


Average. 




49.4 
50.2 
52.9 
52.4 


47.0 
34.3 
31.4 
35.4 
42.4 


24.3 
18.9 
19.9 


40.1 




34.5 




34.7 




43.9 




25.8 


34.1 









The Beloturka and Arnautka durum wheats often lodge very badly 
when grown on rich soil. The Galgalos, Defiance, and Marquis 
varieties stand up better than durum wheats. 



BARLEY VARIETAL TESTS. 



In 1919 only two varieties of barley were grown. Each variety 
was seeded on duplicate tenth-acre plats on April 28. The results 
are recorded in Table XIX. 



Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 



29 



Table XIX. — Yields of varieties of barley on the Scottsbluff' Experiment Farm in 1917, 

1918, and 1919. 



Varieties. 


Yields per acre (bushels).i 


1917 


1918 


1919 


Average. 


Trebi 


79.4 
63.2 
56.2 
60.4 
37.3 
37.2 


79.5 
70.9 


53.2 
51.7 


70.7 




61.9 




56 2 




56.7 




58.5 






37.3 


Bald 






37.2 











• The Hooded and Bald barleys are figured on the basis of 60 pounds per bushel, the others at 48 pounds 
per bushel. 

The Trebi barley is proving to be a very good variety for irrigated 
land. Not only does it yield much more than any of the other 
varieties, but it is of unusually good quality and thrashes well. A 
rather large quantity of seed of this variety has been distributed 
among the farmers on the project during the past two years. Most 
farmers report very satisfactory yields and are well pleased with the 
results obtained. 

OATS VARIETAL TESTS. 

Four varieties of oats were tested in 1919. They were seeded on 
April 28 on duplicate tenth-acre plats. The results for the three 
years are recorded in Table XX. 

Table XX. — Yields of varieties of oats grown on the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 

1917, 1918, and 1919. 



Varieties. 


Yields per acre (bushels). 


1917 


1918 


1919 


Average. 


Newmarket 


76.4 
70.0 
69.9 
68.3 
64.4 


68.2 
74.2 


36.9 
31.0 


60.5 


Swedish Select 


58.4 




69.9 




77.9 
83.3 
90.9 




73.1 




35.5 
39.1 


61.1 




65.0 









The Kherson and the White Kherson varieties of oats are to be 
recommended in most cases. They mature early, thus lessening 
the risk of hailstorms and damage from grasshoppers. Where 
alfalfa is seeded with the oats the grain can be taken from the field 
sooner, thus giving the young alfalfa a better chance to become 
established. 

CULTURAL TREATMENT TESTS. 

The question is often asked by farmers "Should I plow, disk, or 
spring-tooth corn-stubble land on which I am going to seed oats or 
barley ? " To obtain information along this line, tests were conducted 
during the summer of 1917, 1918, and 1919. In each case the land 



30 



Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



had been used in growing corn the previous year. This corn-stubble 
land was divided into tenth-acre plats, one-third of which were 
plowed, one-third disked, and one-third spring-tooth harrowed. 
In each case this was done in the spring just before seeding the grain. 
On half of these plats, usually nine in number, three of which had 
been plowed, three disked, and three harrowed, oats were seeded, 
and on the other nine plats barley was seeded. Kherson oats were 
used each year. Franconia barley was sown in 1917, and Trebi 
barley in 1918 and 1919. 

In 1919 this test was conducted on field H-IV-V. The grain was 
treated with formaldehyde before seeding, on April 28. Grass- 
hoppers did not do much damage to this field. The average yields 
of oats for each year from each of the different cultural-treatment 
tests are given in Table XXI. 

Table XXI. — Yields obtained in tests of the cultural treatment of oats on the Scottsbluff 
Experiment Farm in 1917, 1918, and 1919. 





Yields per acre (bushels). 


Cultural treatment of plats. 


1917 


1918 


1919 


3-year 
average. 




88.1 
84.4 
86.0 


84.6 
96.5 
93.4 


60.9 
63.5 
68.4 


77.9 




81.5 




82.6 







The results from the tests covering three years seem to show that 
plowing corn-stubble land has no advantage over either disking or 
spring-tooth harrowing for oats and that the treatments other than 
plowing are much quicker and cheaper. 

The average yields of barley under each of the different cultural 
treatments for each year are recorded in Table XXII. 

Table XXII. — ■ Yields obtained in tests of the cultural treatment of barley on the Scotts- 
bluff Experiment Farm in 1917, 1918, and 1919. 





Yields per acre (bushels). 


Cultural treatment of plats. 


1917 


1918 


1919 


3-year 
average. 




60.9 
58.3 
51.9 


79.4 
80.2 
75.0 


60.4 
57.7 
61.2 


66.9 


Disked 


65.4 




62.7 







The average results of the three years show a slight increase for 
the plowed plats. This amounts to only 1.5 bushels per acre more 
than the disked plats, which will hardly make up for the difference 
in the cost of operation. When cost is considered, it would seem 
that disking is the best method of preparing corn-stubble land for 
the seeding of either oats or barley. 



Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 31 



COMPARISON OP OATS AND BARLEY. 



As the oats and the barley in the cultural-treatment tests were 
each grown under the same conditions each year, the yields obtained 
afford a very good comparison. In each case the yields represent 
the average of 27 plats, or 9 plats for three years. The average 
yield of the 27 oat plats and the average yield of the 27 barley plats 
are recorded in Table XXIII. 

Table XXIII. — Comparative yields of oats and of barley grown under the same condi- 
tions on the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1917, 1918, and 1919. 





Crop. 


Yields per acre. 




Bushels. 


Pounds. 


Oats 


80.7 
65.0 

15.7 


2,582 


Barley 


3,120 


In favor of— 

Oats 






538 









As the average yield of oats was 80.7 bushels per acre, as against 
65 bushels of barley, it may appear that oats is a higher yielding 
crop than barley, but it must be remembered that 2 bushels of barley 
weigh the same as 3 bushels of oats. While the results from this 
test show a yield of 15.7 bushels per acre in favor of the oats, the 
barley actually outyielded the oats 538 pounds per acre. In many 
cases barley will prove a more profitable crop to grow than oats. 
It should be ground before being fed. 



EFFECT OF ROTATIONS. 



The oats in the irrigated rotations were damaged badly by grass- 
hoppers in 1918 and 1919. The average yield from the 18 plats was 
65.6 bushels per acre in 1918 and 48.5 bushels in 1919. The yield 
from the plats that had received manure averaged 11.9 bushels in 
1918 and 2.3 bushels in 1917 more than similar plats not receiving it. 
Where oats followed alfalfa land the yield was greater by 16.5 bushels 
per acre in 1918 and by 7.2 bushels in 1919. 

Wheat following alfalfa made a yield of 31 bushels per acre in 
1918, and 23.3 bushels in 1919, as compared with 23 bushels in 1918 
and 13.1 bushels in 1919 where wheat followed oats in a 2-year 
rotation. 

DRY-LAND FARMING. 1 

Many farmers on the North Platte Reclamation Project have dry 
land in connection with their irrigated land. As a rule this land is 
used as pasture, and in too many instances it is so badly over- 
pastured that it produces but little feed. Much of the land is tillable 

i This summary of results was prepared by the Office of Dry-Land Agriculture. 



32 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 

and might be made a source of greater income than it provides as 
native pasture. 

To determine the agricultural possibilities of the unirrigated land 
and the best methods of cultivation and crop rotation to practice 
on such land, the Office of Dry-Land Agriculture is conducting in- 
vestigational work on the Scottsbluff Farm. About 150 tenth-acre 
plats are used of land that has never been irrigated. The work 
consists principally of experiments with crop rotations and methods 
of tillage. The principal crops used are corn, winter wheat, spring 
wheat, oats, barley, and sorghum. The results obtained will not be 
considered in detail in this report, but it may be of value to refer to 
some of the more important of them. 

Table XXIV presents the average yields of the several crops from 
all methods for each year of the 9-year period from 1911 to 1919, 
inclusive. In 1911 the crops were all on virgin prairie sod broken 
in the summer of 1910. The low yields were due to drought. Be- 
cause only one method was under trial in this the first year of the 
experiments, only the eight years, 1912 to 1919, inclusive, are con- 
sidered in studying the results of different methods. 

Table XXIV. — Average yields of the several crops grown without irrigation on the 
Scottsbluff Experiment Farm for the 9-year period from 1911 to 1919, inclusive. 





Average yields per acre. 


Year. 


Winter 
wheat. 


Spring 
wheat. 


Oats. 


Barley. 


Corn. 


Sorghum. 




Bushels. 

3.0 
13.3 
10.0 
22.1 
22.2 

5.7 

6.9 



4.5 


Bushels. 

1.9 
17.0 
11.5 
10.7 
18.1 

8.2 
15.6 
11.4 

2.3 


Bushels. 



34.3 
25.0 
17.3 
52.6 
10.4 
24.4 
25.8 

2.8 


Bushels. 

2.0 
26.7 



7.7 
38.8 

8.4 
15.5 
17.1 

4.7 


Bushels. 

7.4 
36.7 
30.3 
10.2 
12.9 
29.1 
26.7 
18.2 

5.0 


Pounds. 
3,067 


1912 


10,400 


1913 


6,400 


1914 


250 


1915. . 


7,700 


1916 


8,800 


1917 


8,107 


1918 . 


4,110 


1919 . 


2,417 








9.7 


10.7 


21.4 


13.4 


19.6 


5,695 







The average yield of winter wheat for the nine years was 9.7 
bushels per acre, which is 1 bushel less than the average yield of 
spring wheat for the same period. This lower average of winter 
wheat is due either to complete winterkilling, as in 1918, or to 
winterkilling on some methods of preparation in other years. 
When the crop comes through the winter it generally yields more 
than spring wheat. When the winter-wheat crop is credited with 
the spring wheat produced by reseeding winterkilled plats, its aver- 
age is higher than that of spring wheat. 

The 8-year average yield of winter wheat on fallow was 16.5 
bushels, and on disked corn ground 13 bushels, while on land con- 



Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 33 

tinuously cropped to winter wheat the yield was only 6 bushels on 
early fall plowing and 3.6 bushels on late fall plowing. These 
averages include the spring wheat produced in two years of partial 
or complete winterkilling. 

Spring wheat averaged 10.7 bushels per acre for the nine years. 
There were two years when the yield was so low as to amount to prac- 
tical failure. For the period from 1912 to 1919 three plats oniallow 
ground averaged 16.2 bushels per acre. On disked corn ground 11 
plats averaged 12.5 bushels. The yield on fall-plowed corn ground 
was 12.6 bushels and on spring-plowed corn ground 11 bushels. 
Other yields were 10.6 bushels on fall-plowed oat ground, 9.9 bushels 
on spring-plowed oat ground, and 9.9 bushels on spring-plowed 
sorghum ground. On land continuously cropped to wheat the yield 
fell to 7.1 bushels on fall plowing and 6.4 bushels on spring plowing. 

The average yield of oats for the 9-year period was 21.4 bushels 
per acre. The 8-year average on fallow ground was 30.9 bushels, 
on disked corn ground 25.8 bushels, on spring-plowed corn ground 
23.5 bushels, on spring-plowed wheat ground 22.9 bushels, and on 
fall-plowed wheat ground 18.5 bushels, while land continuously 
cropped to oats averaged only 16.1 bushels on fall plowing and 17.2 
bushels on spring plowing. A single plat on spring-plowed sorghum 
ground yielded 25.8 bushels per acre. 

The 9-year average yield of barley was 13.4 bushels. The 8-year 
average yield on fallow ground was 26 bushels, on spring-plowed 
oat ground 16.7 bushels, on disked corn ground 15.4 bushels, and on 
land continuously cropped to barley 15.4 bushels on spring plowing 
and 12.1 bushels on fall plowing. 

The 9-year average yield of corn was 19.6 bushels. Two crops 
were very poor, but in the other seven years the average yields 
ranged from 10.2 to 36. 7 bushels. Only one plat of corn was grown 
on fallow ground and its average for eight years was 28.2 bushels. 
Outside of this plat the range in yield, due to differences in the pre- 
ceding crop or the time of plowing, was so small as to be insignificant. 
The 8-year average yield of all methods other than fallow was 21.4 
bushels per acre, and the greatest departure from it was on land 
continuously cropped to corn with fall plowing, which averaged 23 
bushels per acre. In addition to the grain the corn averaged 1,900 
pounds of stover per acre. 

Three rotations in the experiments contain sorghum. The 9-year 
average yield of hay or forage from this crop was 5,695 pounds per 
acre. Only one year showed a production of less than 1.5 tons. 
That was in 1914, when the crop was seeded solid with a grain drill. 
It has been found better to plant sorghum in rows with a corn or 
sugar-beet planter and cultivate it. The heaviest yield was on 
spring-plowed corn ground manured; this for eight years averaged 
6,884 pounds, or nearly 3.5 tons, per acre. 



34 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 

Red clover has consistently resulted in total failure. Brome-grass 
has not made a stand when seeded with a crop of grain. When 
seeded alone it has made a sod that in the second and third years 
averaged from 700 to 800 pounds of hay, but has never yielded as high 
as three-quarters of a ton. It possesses some possibilities for pasture, 
being especially valuable for late or very early pasture. Alfalfa has 
been somewhat more productive than brome-grass, its average yield 
being about 1,200 pounds of hay per acre. 

The increased yields obtained by breaking up alfalfa under irriga- 
tion are not evidenced on dry land. Following alfalfa or brome- 
grass the soil is so dry that the yields are likely to be decreased 
rather than increased. 

It appears from the evidence obtained from the experiments with- 
out irrigation that the small grains can be successfully grown on 
either fallow ground or following corn, but that their yields following 
small grains are too low to warrant their growth in such combina- 
tions unless at seeding time the soil is thoroughly wet to a depth of 
at least 3 feet. Fallow land should be seeded to winter wheat. 

Corn did not show sufficient increase on fallow ground to justify 
fallowing for that crop. Corn can be grown continuously on the 
same land if one so desires. The crop on land so treated was some- 
what heavier than on land following the small grains. In rotation 
with the small grains the average yield of corn was more than 21 
bushels of grain and nearly a ton of stover per acre. 

For forage alone sorghum is the most productive and the surest 
crop that has been grown. It should be expected to produce from 
2.5 to 3 tons of forage per acre. 

A good combination of' feed crops is a 3-year rotation of oats on 
spring-plowed sorghum ground, corn on fall plowing, and sorghum 
on spring plowing. If corn is wanted for feed to use with alfalfa hay 
produced under irrigation, the dry land can be profitably utilized by 
cropping it continuously to corn. If a combination of feed and a 
cash crop is desired, the indicated rotation is a very simple one of 
corn on either fall or spring plowing and wheat on disked corn ground. 

FEEDING LAMBS. 3 

During the winter of 1919-20 12 lots of 31 lambs each were used 
in a feeding test. The lambs cost $12.75 per hundredweight at 
Denver, with freight paid to Omaha. At Denver the lambs averaged 
47£ pounds each. When weighed into the feed lots they averaged 
43^ pounds, having shrunk 4 pounds. They were dipped before 
being shipped out of Denver. When the shrinkage and cost of 
dipping were charged against the lambs it made them cost $14.13 
per hundredweight in the feed lots at the beginning of the experiment. 

2 This experiment was conducted for and under the supervision of the Nebraska Agricultural Ex- 
periment Station. 



Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 



35 



The lambs in each lot were fed all the alfalfa hay they would eat. 
The lots getting beet tops were also fed all the tops they would 
clean up. Silage was fed at the rate of 2 pounds for each lamb 
daily. The corn and dried pulp were fed at the rate of 1 pound 
per lamb daily and the cottonseed cake at the rate of one-third of 
a pound, except in the case of lot 7, where the lambs were fed cake 
at the rate of half a pound a day. 

The lambs were on feed 100 days. At the end of the experiment 
they were appraised by two experienced sheepmen from a commis- 
sion company in Omaha. In figuring the net profit for each lamb 
a 6-pound allowance was made to cover the shrinkage and other 
items of expense between the feed lots and the market at Omaha. 
Nine lots of the best lambs were sold on the Omaha market for 
$19.25 per hundredweight six days after being appraised at the feed 
lots; the market advanced more than a dollar in this week. The 
net profit per lamb, therefore, was considerably more than is shown 
in the summary in Table XXV. 

Table XXV. — Summarized results of feeding 372 lambs in 12 lots with different rations 
for 100 days on the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm during the winter of 1919-20. 





Feed consumed per 


100 pounds of gain. 


Total 
gains 
made. 


Cost of 

feed 
per 100 
pounds 
of gain. 


Ap- 

praised 
value 
per 
hun- 
dred- 
weight. 




Lot. 


Alfalfa 
hay. 


Corn. 


Cotton- 
seed 
cake. 


Dried 
pulp. 


Beet 

tops 

(from 

tons of 

beets). 


Silage. 


Net 
profit 

per 
lamb. 


No. 1... 


Pounds. 
503 
408 
547 
396 
482 
416 
452 
235 
485 
391 
350 
630 


Pounds. 

306 

246 

a 107 

a 84 

328 

255 


Pounds. 


Pounds. 


Pounds. 


Pounds. 


Pounds. 

971 
1,205 

928 
1,182 

923 
1,162 
1,228 
1,307 

759 
1,162 
1,250 

759 


$12. 89 
13.62 
11.39 
11.93 
9.59 
11.26 
12.36 
10.57 
11.86 
12.16 
11.85 
13.13 


$17.50 
18.00 
17.75 
18.00 
17.65 
17.90 
18.00 
18.10 
17.00 
17.75 
17.85 
17.25 


$1.83 


No. 2. . 


76 

6 77 








2.32 


No. 3 


6 224 
175 






2.40 


No. 4 






2.94 


No.5... 






2.91 


No. 6 


79 

cl04 

70 

120 


261 
247 
231 






3.02 


No. 7... 






2.87 


No. 8 




417 
719 


3.80 


No. 9... 


1.50 


No. 10 




1.63 
1.71 
2.99 


. 2.59 


No. 11 


73 
120 


242 


2.95 


No. 12 


1.34 







a Fed 40 days. 



b Fed 60 days. 



c At the rate of half a pound per lamb per day. 



The prices were as follows: Corn, $2.90 per hundredweight; dried 
pulp, $35 per ton; cottonseed cake, $85 per ton; silage, $8 per ton; 
beet tops, $1 per ton yield of beets; alfalfa hay, $16 per ton. 

The results of this feeding test are grouped in Table XXVI, to show 
the comparative values of the different rations. 

Corn in each case made more gain than dried pulp, but at a greater 
cost and with a lower profit. Cottonseed cake increased the gains 
with a higher cost and a greater profit. Beet tops proved a cheaper 
feed than corn but more expensive than dried pulp. Silage pro- 
duced greater gains than beet tops, with a lower cost and a higher 
profit. The half-pound ration of cottonseed cake produced a greater 



36 



Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



gain at a higher cost and a lower profit than the lighter ration of 
cottonseed cake. 

Table XXVI. — Comparative results of using different rations in feeding 372 lambs on 
the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm during the winter of 1919-20. 



Feeds compared. 



Apportionment of rations. 



Total 

gains 

made 

(pounds) 



Cost of 

feed 
per 100 
pounds 
of gain. 



Ap 

praised 
value 
per 
hun- 
dred- 
weight. 



Net 
profit 

per 
lamb. 



Corn and dried pulp (with- 
out cottonseed cake): 

LotNo.l 

LotNo.3 

LotNo.5 

Com and dried pulp (with 
cottonseed cake): 

Lot No. 2 

Lot No. 4 

Lot No. 6 

Corn with and without beet 
tops: 

Lot No. 10 

LotNo.l 

Other feeds with and with- 
out beet tops: 
Lot No. 11 



Lot No. 6 

Beet tops and silage (with 
other feeds): 
Lot No. 11 



Lot No. 8 

Beet tops and silage (with 
cottonseed cake): 

Lot No. 12 

Lot No.9 

Dried pulp, with heavy and 
with light feed of cotton- 
seed cake: 

Lot No. 7 



Lot No. 6. 



Corn 

Dried pulp and corn 

Dried pulp 

Corn and cottonseed cake 

Dried pulp, corn, and cottonseed cake 
Dried pulp and cottonseed cake 

Corn and beet tops 

Corn 

Dried pulp, cottonseed cake, and beet 

tops. 
Dried pulp and cottonseed cake 



Dried pulp, cottonseed cake, and beet 

tops. 
Dried pulp, cottonseed cake, andsilage 



Cottonseed cake and beet tops. 
Cottonseed cake and silage 



Dried pulp, with heavy feed of cotton- 
seed cake. 

Dried pulp, with light feed of cotton- 
seed cake. 



971 
928 
923 



1,205 
1,182 
1,162 



1,162 
971 



1,250 
1,162 

1,250 
1,307 



759 
759 



1,228 
1,162 



$12. 89 
11.39 
9.59 



13.62 
11.93 
11.26 



12.16 
12.89 



11.85 
11.26 

11.85 

10.57 



13.13 
11.86 



12.36 
11.26 



$17. 50 
17.75 
17.65 



18.00 
18.00 
17.90 



17.75 
17.50 



17.85 
17.90 

17.85 
18.10 



17.25 
17.00 



18.00 
17.90 



$1.83 
2.40 
2.91 



2.32 
2.94 
3.02 



2.59 
1.83 



2.94 
3.02 

2.94 

3.80 



1.34 
1.50 



2.87 
3.02 



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